General Election 2019: What you need to know today

• By ITV News Content Producer David Williams

Set your watch. Thursday at 4pm marks the deadline for election candidates to add or remove their names to or from the list.

Some very big names - Tom Watson, Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd et al - have already confirmed they won't be standing in 2019. Will there be more surprises?

There's claims of last-minute pacts being offered, which could distract from the main parties' various announcements on immigration, the gender pay gap and equality.

Day 8 showed the hostility that comes from campaigning on the road. How will the very visible party leaders fare on Day 9?

ITV News will be sharing all the key speeches and campaign appearances as they happen throughout the day as part of our Campaign Live coverage.

Here’s what's in store today:

• Boris Johnson is headed for the South West of England while Home Secretary Priti Patel will face questions on her announced commitment for the Tories to cut immigration overall

• Jeremy Corbyn continues his tour of Scotland, culminating in an evening rally in Edinburgh alongside Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard

• Nicola Sturgeon will take First Minister's Questions in Holyrood either side of campaign appearances in Hawick

• Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna will hold a press conference outlining the Liberal Democrat policies on equalities and human rights - while Jo Swinson will continue her campaign close to home in Scotland

• Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is heading to the North of England where he will hold rallies at Hull Ionians RUFC and Grimsby Town FC

Here's what else is making the election headlines:

• Conservatives 'offer electoral pact with Nigel Farage's Brexit Party'

• Labour pledge to close the gender pay gap by 2030

• Disgraced MP’s wife to run in his place for Tories

• Next government should legislate to protect cash access, says Which?

• Leadsom tells Peston: 'UK won't know if EU free trade deal possible until end of 2020'

The view from the campaigns

Paul Brand says Boris Johnson faces a perception problem after being met with anger in the flood-hit village of Fishlake.

Libby Wiener says Jeremy Corbyn will face more questions in Scotland on his party's stance on a second independence referendum.

Rebecca Barry shares a ringside view of Jo Swinson's cliched campaign outing while looking ahead to Day 9.

Emma Murphy analyses a feisty Farage appearance and looks ahead to Thursday's key deadline for the Brexit Party.

Calling Peston: The ITV News Election Podcast

How damaging is the anger from flooding victims to Boris Johnson?

After Daniel and Shehab hear from ITV News Reporter Stacey Foster, who describes how it went down in the room, Robert Peston assesses the difficulties the PM and Jeremy Corbyn are both facing on the campaign trail.

The team also reminisce on more Day 8 campaign hostility from recent history, looking back with Alastair Campbell on the day then-deputy PM John Prescott punched a voter in 2001.

Tony Blair's former spin doctor explains why he delayed telling the PM about it, and how a driver and bodyguard helped to persuade Mr Blair not to sack his deputy.

Mr Campbell then stuns our co-hosts by naming the three former Tories he wants to see elected and goes as far as confirming he will actively campaign for one of them, David Gauke.

Plus, Peston also clarifies where he stands on under-pressure Arsenal boss Unai Emery. So is it Leave or Remain?

ITV News Political Reporters Daniel Hewitt and Shehab Khan will be digesting the campaign every weekday - and dial in Robert to get his take on it all.

The Calling Peston podcast will take you behind the scenes of life reporting on the election campaign trail, hearing from our reporters on the road across the country.

Like what you hear? New episodes will appear every weekday afternoon at 5pm.Download it from wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Today's question: Are opponents to Nicola Sturgeon lacking a clear leader?

For Nicola Sturgeon, this election is a kind of referendum on having a referendum, writes ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith.

If the SNP dominates, she’ll say it’s proof Scotland is ready for another independence vote.

As the recognised leader of Scotland’s independence movement, she's quite comfortable with taking voters into that territory.

Scotland’s Unionists, on the other hand, go into this election still searching for the person who will be the de facto champion of their cause.

In the last election, Ruth Davidson led the charge, and the SNP lost more than a third of their seats. That forced Nicola Sturgeon to put the brakes on IndyRef2 in 2017.

But Davidson’s now resigned, and it's back on the table. The problem is those who would inherit her throne are struggling with something of an image problem.

Read more analysis from Peter.

Analysis: Labour's NHS spending pledge can't match the Brown era

Labour's spending pledge on the NHS is a large sum of money and will take the annual budget to £155 billion, writes ITV News Health Correspondent Emily Morgan.

In broad terms the policy has been welcomed - those from the Kings Fund, the IFS, the Nuffield Trust and NHS Confederation have all said it's needed and will make a difference to the service.

It's a 4.3% rise and analysts have always said the NHS needs at least a 4% rise in order to continue to meet future demand.

It meets that requirement and outstrips the rise of 3.4% the Conservatives have pledged for the same period.

But, and there's always a but, in order to transform the health service, which is what Labour claim to want to do, analysts insist much more money is needed.

Don't forget that the previous Labour government under Gordon Brown increased spending by around 6% per year.

If it wants to make waves, why doesn't Labour match spending commitments under Mr Brown?

Emily outlines the challenge to Labour and their rivals.

Vehicles for change? How the parties' transport policies compare

Transport affects everybody, every day, in every corner of Britain, writes ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi.

Yet, so far, it’s a policy area that’s hardly been a blip on the election agenda.

As I’ve travelled across Britain, I’ve heard from people calling for much more debate on how we keep the country moving.

Read what Chris discovers as he takes several modes of transport - and outlines here where the parties stand on improving them.

The ITV Election Debate: Ask your question

ITV will be broadcasting a seven-way election debate on Sunday 1 December.

Representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Brexit Party, Greens, SNP and Plaid Cymru will come together in 'The ITV Election Debate', hosted by Julie Etchingham and broadcast live from Greater Manchester.

If you would like the opportunity to put a question directly to all seven party representatives as part of our studio audience on the night, please follow the link here to provide some more information about yourself, and to submit your question.

Plus, as ever, here are your...

• ... answers to the most Googled general election questions

• ... details on how to register to vote or check you're in the system

Here's the best of Wednesday's campaign stories:

• Labour pledges to 'end NHS crisis' with £26bn 'rescue plan'

• Alastair Campbell tells ITV News he'll campaign for ex-Tory MP David Gauke

• Boris Johnson has 'Blue Peter Brexit deal... ready to go'

• Corbyn rules out IndyRef2 in first term if Labour wins power

What's happening away from the election?

Here's what else is making the news today:

• More flooding expected with 'danger to life' weather warning

• Iranian migrant tells of her wait for asylum claim to be processed

• Number of obese people in UK 'almost doubled in 20 years'

• Qantas to test direct flight from London to Sydney

• Jet suit pilot will try to break his own world speed record